facebook
AD

Apollo ActiGrip R6 Tyre review: Introduction

Authors Image

Abhishek Nigam

22,177 Views
GalleryIntroductionThe ActiGrip RangeActiGrip R6What’s next?

Introduction

Front Tyre

My Royal Enfield Bullet 500 is now exactly seven years old and would you believe it, it’s still running on the stock OEM supplied MRF tyres. The bike has close to 25,000km on the odometer and while the tyre still has life, seven years means it’s become hard and lost most of its important properties.

Switching to a new tyre, I wanted something that could handle both road and no road, because that way I don’t have to think about road conditions when I do head out on a road trip. But dual purpose tyres are a little compromised when it comes to outright cornering grip on good tarmac and that is something that I didn't want to compromise on. Well, according to Apollo I don’t really have to with their all-new ActiGrip R6 range.

The ActiGrip Range

Front Tyre

The ActiGrip range from Apollo Tyres is part of the Apollo custom touring series made especially for Royal Enfield motorcycles so you can buy them in a range of sizes and for specific kind of riding as well. So the ActiGrip range consists of the ActiGrip R4, the ActiZip R5 and what we are reviewing here, the ActiGrip R6. Now, these are available in both tube type and tubeless versions and will fit the entire Royal Enfield range.

ActiGrip R6

Front Tyre

Now let’s talk about the tyre we’re going to review. I chose the ActiGrip R6 because like I mentioned I wanted a dual purpose tyre as I did not want to worry about punctures and grip when the tarmac ended and at the same time not compromise on cornering grip. Also since the bike runs spoked wheels, I will be running a tube type set-up. I haven’t upsized and have gone for the recommended size for my bike which is a 90/90-19 upfront and a 120/80-18 at the rear. However the tyre is also available in 90/90-21 front and 120/90-17 rear.

Front Tyre

With the ActiGrip R6, Apollo claims superior braking stability, enhanced traction and enhanced tyre life as well. That apart, the tread pattern is what Apollo calls the Smart V pattern designed with wider center block and more working edges to provide maximum grip and excellent off-road traction. The longitudinal groove at the centre and shoulder also helps self-cleaning from mud and dirt so that it always has optimal traction. Also, for the really wet rides, the channelised independent centre helps with quick dispersion of water. The ActiGrip R6 also gets an optimised polymer blend and good reinforcement for protection against cuts and better durability.

Front Tyre

Now we measured the groove and with a depth of 5.28mm in the front and 6.76mm at the rear, it really does indicate that the tyre will last long and also help against some long nails when it comes to punctures and cuts.

Front Tyre
Front Tyre

The extra rubber and block pattern means it is on the heavier side with the front weighing in at 3.7 kg and the rear weighing a portly 4.9kg.

What’s next?

Left Side View

The tyres will be mounted on the Bullet 500 and we will test it for a lot of things. For starters, we will do a mix of city and highway and check how it performs. And then we will hit the twisties and follow it up with some dirt surfaces to see how much confidence it inspires.

Photography by Kaustubh Gandhi

Gallery

Front Tyre
Left Side View
Front Tyre
Front Tyre
Front Tyre
Front Tyre
Front Tyre
Front Tyre

Related Road Test Reviews

Compare Bikes

  • Royal Enfield
  • other brands
Royal Enfield Hunter 350
Royal Enfield Hunter 350
₹ 1,49,900Onwards
Avg. Ex-Showroom price
Show price in my city
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650
Royal Enfield Continental GT 650
₹ 3,18,418Onwards
Avg. Ex-Showroom price
Show price in my city
Royal Enfield Bullet 350
Royal Enfield Bullet 350
₹ 1,73,562Onwards
Avg. Ex-Showroom price
Show price in my city
AD

Featured Bikes

  • Popular
  • Upcoming
Hero Xtreme 125R
Hero Xtreme 125R
₹ 96,786Onwards
Avg. Ex-Showroom price
Show price in my city
TVS Raider 125
TVS Raider 125
₹ 97,054Onwards
Avg. Ex-Showroom price
Show price in my city
Yamaha MT 15 V2
Yamaha MT 15 V2
₹ 1,68,708Onwards
Avg. Ex-Showroom price
Show price in my city
Ampere Nxg - The Nex Big Thing
LAUNCHING SOON
Mar 2024
Ampere Nxg - The Nex Big Thing

₹ 1,30,000

Mar 2024 (Tentative)Expected Launch
Suzuki V-Strom 800DE
LAUNCHING SOON
Mar 2024
Suzuki V-Strom 800DE

₹ 11,00,000

20th Mar 2024Expected Launch
Suzuki GSX-8S
LAUNCHING SOON
Mar 2024
Suzuki GSX-8S

₹ 10,00,000

24th Mar 2024Expected Launch
AD